In semiconductor and memory device applications, an electrode is a conductor through which electric current is passed. The electrode is typically comprised of a metal, such as copper, tungsten, silver, lead, or zinc. The electrode may also be in the form of a nonmetallic conductor, including a semiconducting material, such as doped polysilicon. Phase change random access memory (PRAM) devices store data using a phase change material, such as, for example, a chalcogenide alloy, that transforms into a crystalline state or an amorphous state or vice versa during heat treatments or during quench following heat treatments. Each state of the phase change material has different resistance characteristics. Typically, the phase change material in the crystalline state has low resistance and the phase change material in the amorphous state has high resistance. The crystalline state is typically referred to as a “set state” having a logic level “0”, and the amorphous state is typically referred to as a “reset state” having a logic level “1”. In some phase change random access memory devices, electrodes supply energy, i.e., heat, to the phase change material to induce phase changes.